Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

ByMichael Burns

Introduction to the verb flaquer

Get the Passé Simple (Simple Past) tense conjugation of flaquer. Includes a FREE downloadable reference sheet (no email required). Alternatively if you have a lot of text to check then use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

The English translation of the French verb “flaquer” is “to give way” or “to buckle.” The infinitive form “flaquer” is pronounced as “fla-keh.”

The verb “flaquer” originated from the Old French word “flacquer,” which means “to falter” or “to waver.” It is most often used in everyday French in the Passé Simple tense, which is primarily used in written literature. In spoken language, the Passé Composé tense is more commonly used to express the past.

Here are three simple examples of its usage in the Passé Simple tense, along with their English translations:

  1. Je flaquai devant l’adversité. (I gave way in the face of adversity.)
  2. Le mur flacqua sous la pression. (The wall buckled under the pressure.)
  3. Ils flaquèrent face aux critiques. (They gave way in the face of criticism.)

Note: The Passé Simple tense is rarely used in spoken French, and the verb “flaquer” itself is not frequently used in everyday conversation.

Table of the Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of flaquer

Pronoun Conjugation Short Example English Translation
Je flaquai J’ai flaqué dans le lit. I flopped down on the bed.
Tu flaquas Tu flaquas sur le canapé. You flopped down on the sofa.
Il flacqua Il flacqua par terre. He flopped down on the floor.
Elle flacqua Elle flacqua sur la chaise. She flopped down on the chair.
On flacqua On flacqua sur le matelas. One flopped down on the mattress.
Nous flaquâmes Nous flaquâmes sur le tapis. We flopped down on the carpet.
Vous flaquâtes Vous flaquâtes sur le divan. You flopped down on the couch.
Ils flaquèrent Ils flaquèrent sur le lit. They flopped down on the bed.
Elles flaquèrent Elles flaquèrent par terre. They (feminine) flopped down on the floor.

Other Conjugations for Flaquer.

Le Present (Present Tense) Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Imparfait (Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer (You’re reading it right now!)

Passé Composé (Present Perfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Futur Simple (Simple Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Futur Proche (Near Future) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Plus-que-parfait (Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Passé Antérieur (Past Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Futur Antérieur (Future Anterior) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Subjonctif Présent (Subjunctive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Subjonctif Passé (Subjunctive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Subjonctif Imparfait (Subjunctive Imperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Subjonctif Plus-que-parfait (Subjunctive Pluperfect) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Conditionnel Présent (Conditional Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Conditionnel Passé (Conditional Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Conditionnel Passé II (Conditional Past II) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

L’impératif Présent (Imperative Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

L’impératif Passé (Imperative Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

L’infinitif Présent (Infinitive Present) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

L’infinitif Passé (Infinitive Past) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Le Participe Présent (Present Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Le Participe Passé (Past Participle) Tense Conjugation of the French Verb flaquer

Struggling with French verbs or the language in general? Why not use our free French Grammar Checker – no registration required!

Get a FREE Download Study Sheet of this Conjugation 🔥

Simply right click the image below, click “save image” and get your free reference for the flaquer Passé Simple tense conjugation! 

Flaquer – About the French Passé Simple (Simple Past) Tense

The French Passé Simple, also known as the Simple Past or Preterite, is a past tense used in written French to describe completed actions that took place at a specific point in the past.
It is not commonly used in everyday spoken language, where the Passé Composé is the preferred past tense. The Passé Simple is mainly found in literature, formal writing, and historical contexts. It has a somewhat limited use in modern French, and its conjugation can be complex.  
NOTE: To take a deep dive into all the French tenses then see our article on Mastering French Tense Conjugation.

Formation

The Passé Simple is formed by conjugating the verb according to its specific endings for regular and irregular verbs. The endings typically vary based on the verb group (i.e., -er, -ir, or -re). For example:
   – For regular -er verbs (e.g., manger, parler): Remove the -er ending and add appropriate endings, like -ai, -as, -a, -âmes, -âtes, -èrent.
   – For regular -ir verbs (e.g., finir, choisir): Remove the -ir ending and add endings like -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent.
   – For regular -re verbs (e.g., vendre, attendre): Remove the -re ending and add endings like -is, -is, -it, -îmes, -îtes, -irent.

Usage

Narration

The Passé Simple is commonly used in literature to describe past events in a narrative or storytelling context.

Historical Context

It can be used in historical writing or documents to discuss events that took place in the past.
Formal Writing
In formal or academic writing, especially in essays or reports, you might encounter the Passé Simple.

Interactions with other tenses

Passé Composé

In everyday spoken French, the Passé Composé is the go-to tense for describing completed actions in the past. The Passé Simple is not commonly used in spoken language and is often replaced by the Passé Composé.

Imparfait

While the Passé Simple focuses on completed actions in the past, the Imparfait is used to describe ongoing or habitual actions in the past. They can sometimes be used together to provide a more detailed past narrative. For example, “Il lisait un livre quand il reçut un appel.” (He was reading a book when he received a call).

Conditional and Subjunctive

The Passé Simple can also be found in the conditional and subjunctive moods in formal writing. For instance, “Il faudrait qu’il partît” (He should leave, subjunctive).

Summary

The French Passé Simple is primarily used in formal or literary contexts, and its conjugation can be quite complex. In everyday spoken French, the Passé Composé is the preferred past tense for describing completed actions.

I hope you enjoyed this article on the verb flaquer. Still in a learning mood? Check out another TOTALLY random French verb conjugation!

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply